need some help with being my own generl contractor

zimzum · May 07, 2006, 11:06:20 PM

My wife and i our hoping to build a energy efficiant log home of about 1500 sq ft in upstate ny and our budget is gonna be about 150,000 dollars. with this budget we would have to do alot of the work ourselves and act as the general contractor. I was planning on doing all the woodwork + painting myself while subbing out the plumping, electric and the foundation work.
Im planning on using http://www.singloghomes.com/%20

Now comes the problem. i did a search on yahoo for being your own general contractor and this scared the daylights out of me//www.cwhba.com/build4.pdf#search='how%20to%20be%20the%20general%20contractor%20while%20building%20a%20home'%20%20 i thought id have to get a few permits , hire the subs and all would be well. i didnt realize all the stuff with insurance, workmens comp and all. is this more the the avg person can handle or is this article more scary looking then it really is?

After reading that , the dream of owning our own small sustainable home cabin built from scratch is fading!

Any guidance in the right direction would be appreciated!

zim

Amanda_931 · May 07, 2006, 11:15:41 PM

Your insurance person may have a solution for that part of it. I think I can get a policy which will help a lot with accidents and stuff. It does have a two-year limit.

Official sub-contractors--not always the kind we have around here!--should be carrying their own insurance. But anyone can sue anyone over nearly anything.

It may also depend on what state you are building in.

Do take a look at some of John's plans. They may enable you to do a smaller house that works as well as what you had been thinking of. (Or you could always do what I've done, lived in a travel trailer for five years!--not absolutely recommended)

(Happy Thousandth Memberdom!!??!!)

Amanda_931 · May 07, 2006, 11:27:39 PM

Hmmm. Sing Log homes is located in Washington State. Rather a long ways away from upstate NY. Shipping may make even near perfect design and construction system un-affordable.

(take a look at First Day cottages, if you absolutely want pre- or semi-pre-fab. They're at least in New England. And a couple of people here are building them, and, IIRC they have their own forum. The owner, David Howard, had a house in one of Alex Wade's books, what seems like a couple of eons ago.)

http://www.firstdaycottage.com/

glenn-k · May 07, 2006, 11:33:33 PM

Hi Zim. I don't think there is that much to fear. Ken Kern said the most disposable person on the job was the general contractor. Made me feel like a used Pamper.

You are not contracting for other people- just for yourself. If you hire employees direct you would need workmans comp. I assume you are not. You don't need it on yourself.
Sub-contractors should have their own liability insurance and carry workmans comp if they have employees. Their insurance company is able to provide a certificate of insurance to you as proof of insurance. If you need help you can lease employees from Labor ready - or similar temp services. Quality of the workers vary -you don't have to keep bad ones and the service carries all necessary insurance.

In some areas or for a bank sometimes you are required to have a licensed contractor oversee the job. You can usually find one to do it for a reasonable fee.

I read over the brochure you posted an address to. A lot of it is designed to scare you into hiring a contractor it looks like. There are good points there also. Just cover your backside, figure out what may apply to you and take it one item at a time.

We have many members who are building their own homes including hiring subs. Check out the owner builder projects - Here is a good one well documented from the start plus a blog with photos.

http://www.countryplans.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1114727619.

zimzum · May 08, 2006, 12:05:40 AM

QuoteHmmm. Sing Log homes is located in Washington State. Rather a long ways away from upstate NY. Shipping may make even near perfect design and construction system un-affordable.

(take a look at First Day cottages, if you absolutely want pre- or semi-pre-fab. They're at least in New England. And a couple of people here are building them, and, IIRC they have their own forum. The owner, David Howard, had a house in one of Alex Wade's books, what seems like a couple of eons ago.)

http://www.firstdaycottage.com/

shipping was my first concern before contacting sing.

i called sing homes and they said thier trucks are constantly making pickups and dropoffs around the country so shipping is very low with them because they will make the delivery while on the road picking up another trailer from a prior shipment the contracted trucks are on.

after reading over thier site many times , ive really become sold on thier product. little points like needing no isulation, siding or interior finish, having a higher r value then the avg home thats insulated, usinging all non toxic glues /adhesives, plus strengh are all important to me.
im gonna build my home as green/nontoxic as possible + make it energy efficiant using a masonry heater as my sole heat source and add solar pannels to run the appliances (when we can afford the)

also its very simple to erect , all the logs are under 70 lbs and fit in to place like legos. theres no nailing , the logs are predrilled for oly screws. so you basically stack the logs like legos and bolt em!

the person i talked to at sing said a 65 yr old man built his entire home himself without any help at all and the guy also stated him and two other men erected a 1600 sq ft home at a exspo in 1 day. i dont know the exact details but id guess he meant the walls , roof , window frames , windows and floor!

i will check out the first daycottage also, im always open to suggestions

thanks
zim

Mommymem · May 08, 2006, 06:22:15 AM

Welcome to the forum Zimzum!

I believe Amanda was referring to Daddymem and myself regarding the FirstDay Cottage builders. Daddymem doesn't have time to be the GC and deal with the contractors so thats my job. So far it hasn't been too bad. Other than them not listening to me. We're in MA and to get financing we were required to get insurance and we also had to get licenses and insurances from the sub-contractors we hired. Our insurance cost was roughly $1600, I think thats a pretty fair trade off to be our own GC and not paying one 15% of the house worth.

Check with different agents and see what rates they can get you but I'd start with what the bank requires you get. Different towns have different requirements even in banking. Do you have any experience in the construction business? Feel free to shoot me any questions/concerns you have about being a GC.

Where abouts in NY are you building? I'm from the Massena area.

zimzum · May 08, 2006, 09:03:14 AM

QuoteWelcome to the forum Zimzum!

I believe Amanda was referring to Daddymem and myself regarding the FirstDay Cottage builders. Daddymem doesn't have time to be the GC and deal with the contractors so thats my job. So far it hasn't been too bad. Other than them not listening to me. We're in MA and to get financing we were required to get insurance and we also had to get licenses and insurances from the sub-contractors we hired. Our insurance cost was roughly $1600, I think thats a pretty fair trade off to be our own GC and not paying one 15% of the house worth. Check with different agents and see what rates they can get you but I'd start with what the bank requires you get. Different towns have different requirements even in banking. Do you have any experience in the construction business? Feel free to shoot me any questions/concerns you have about being a GC.

Where abouts in NY are you building? I'm from the Massena area.

thanks mommymen,
We are looking for land in ostega , near cooperstown. we saw a perfect peice of land 6acres half wooded that was perked for a well and approved for septic for $13000. Unfortunatley someone else bought it before we could get up there( we are 4 hrs away) its contigent ,so we are still hoping..
We will have 160,000 cash( my wifes inheritance ) no mortage. wed really like to stay away from a mortage since we are both self employed and make just enuff to pay all the bills!

well i did basic hammer and nail labor for my dad who's a great carpenter ,he built his house(2500 sq ft) with my uncle and grandfather 40 yrs ago. he's pushing 70 and i know hes not gonna travel 4 hrs each way more then once every few weeks to be involved. also im sure he doesnt know all the laws and codes nowadays , since they have most likely changed( plus i think they took alot of risk back then and didnt follow all the laws). If this was 1 to 2 hrs from him id have zero worry now , knowing hed build most of the house with me doing the labor. But land in that area is more than owr total budget for under a acre

Im thinking thier pretty leniant up there since the realtor said you could build sod homes, straw homes ect... on the property!
so if a gc is 15% on the home i guess on a $200,000 home id be saving 30k + another 30k doing the woodwork and the painting huh?

I think getting all the insurance even though we arent getting a bank loan would be worth the piece of mind, what do you think?

zim

Daddymem · May 08, 2006, 11:34:47 AM

FirstDays are niether prefab, nor semi-prefab...they send you piles and piles of the most beautiful lumber you will see, a floor plan, a "batphone line" directly to them if you have questions, and an instruction booklet. There is nothing hard to do in the houses, just a lot of work.

Check out your library for books on general contrating before you buy one, there are so many different levels of GC'ing. Mommymem's GC is basically trying to babysit the site contractor and working with the building inspector...the person whom you should become very good friends with ASAP to make things smooth. The building inspectors can be impressed by a DIY'er and be more forgiving than they would a contractor. I have not dealt with the building inspector yet since he and Mommymem have the relationship. Ask questions...a lot of questions. Just being at the office she ran into a great electrician...most inpsectors can't suggest you use anyone and she was asking an electrical question so the inspector said ask him, he's a good electrician...subliminal message heard loud and clear-good guy to do your work.

Amanda_931 · May 08, 2006, 08:09:30 PM

Sorry about that daddymem, I had seen the last pictures, where you were getting to cut a lot of lumber.

Daddymem · May 08, 2006, 08:21:21 PM

No problem, just didn't want anyone to think they were a kit.

jraabe · May 08, 2006, 10:22:01 PM

The Owner-Builder Book by Mark Smith is about subcontracting a home. If you are interested in doing a suburban home near a big city the book is perfect. The further away from that type of house and that type of economic environment (lots of competing sub contractors) the less help this book will be. It doesn't tell you much about building but a lot about managing a building project.

The Sing Log homes system is quite interesting. Very clever wall system. With foam insulation it will likely be up to full code compliance for a cold environment.

However, most modern log homes that meet people's expectations for comfort as well as current codes will be a luxury item costing 25% to 100% more than the same house framed with advance framing (modified conventional construction).

zimzum · May 10, 2006, 08:45:35 PM

good to hear rwalter! was the septic tank complete installed for that price?
hmmmi didnt realize that john (about the 25 to 100% more) im gonna get in contact with sing since they give a rough estimate on cost after i give them a idea of what i wanrt then ill post it and see what you guys say!

On another note that property i was interested in is back on the market because the people wanted a single wide wich isnt allowed on the property, im assuming thats a mobile home. this i find odd because the realtor said you can basically build a stick house on there if you wanted to!

mommymen how far our you living from the worksite?
zim

zimzum · May 11, 2006, 08:59:26 AM

Hey guys the realtor said the septic would cost between 6 and 8000 dollars the owner said when he had it perked , does this sound rite?

Also can anyone give me a idea what electric and plumping would cost if i subbed it out on a 1500 sq ft home, (just a ballpark figure)..

thanks

zim

Amanda_931 · May 11, 2006, 10:26:48 AM

I've no idea. Simple--small--ones around here tend to be quite a bit less, but that means no problems--no rock shelves, etc. People in other parts of the country report higher figures. With a 1500 square foot house, the powers that be are going to assume it has to deal with 4 or more people.

BTW, most of the people I buy from, with a few (thanks guys) exceptions, seem to charge a minimum of $100 for a truck to drive down my road and drop off two chairs--two small chairs. Or even for me to meet the driver in town and transfer the box to my pickup. I sure would ask the log company what they think "not much" shipping is--especially if you are going to need a truck that can lower a parcel to the ground.

glenn-k · May 11, 2006, 10:35:06 AM

Normal septic runs 5 to 6 thousand around here.

bartholomew · May 11, 2006, 03:00:01 PM

Getting it perc'ed might just mean it's been tested, doesn't mean it's passed. Get the test results and take them to the county, Board of Health, or whoever issues septic permits in that area. A typical rule is to assume 2 people for the first bedroom and 1 person per additional bedroom and then size the field based on that.

trent · May 24, 2006, 07:51:37 PM

QuoteMy wife and i our hoping to build a energy efficiant log home of about 1500 sq ft in upstate ny and our budget is gonna be about 150,000 dollars. with this budget we would have to do alot of the work ourselves and act as the general contractor. I was planning on doing all the woodwork + painting myself while subbing out the plumping, electric and the foundation work.
Im planning on using // http://www.singloghomes.com/%20

Now comes the problem. i did a search on yahoo for being your own general contractor and this scared the daylights out of me// www.cwhba.com/build4.pdf#search='how%20to%20be%20the%20general%20contractor%20while%20building%20a%20home'%20 %20 i thought id have to get a few permits , hire the subs and all would be well. i didnt realize all the stuff with insurance, workmens comp and all. is this more the the avg person can handle or is this article more scary looking then it really is?

After reading that , the dream of owning our own small sustainable home cabin built from scratch is fading!

Any guidance in the right direction would be appreciated!

zim

As for insurance why not have free online quotes on insurance brokers like www.insurancepaylite.com, They can surely help you decide which insurance company is best for your insurance needs. Hope this helps.

zimzum · May 27, 2006, 01:06:36 PM

thanks trent all this info big or small helps out!

zimzum · May 27, 2006, 01:28:33 PM

hey guys id like to put a little budget list together and figure out what i can afford!
ballpark figures

land $10 to $15000
septic = $6000
well=?
basement foundation=?
sub out felectric for 1500 sq ft home=$
sub out plumbing for 1500 sq ft home=$
masonry heater(sole source of heating) $10,000
sing inhouse disign staff , free (reimbursed after purchase)

im stilll in contact with the sing people and they seem to be really cool with helping out since alot of the sing homes are built by the customers. thier price is comparable to frame built homes,not the high prices of traditional log homes.
plus sing also pays you for open houses, on site showings during contruction ect...
for me this looks like its very doable(on my own) since the the logs weigh les then 70 lbs and are predrilled( no nailing all rod and bolt) they basically just stack up like legos!

hopefully some of you can fill in the blanks and add on things i forgot!

thanks
zim

Keliy23 · June 07, 2006, 11:44:09 AM

I am building my own house being the General Contractor hiring out subs on certain jobs.
I had to get builders risk insurance. I have an 100k policy and was qouted from State Farm (our regular insurance company) $600 a year and purchased the 100k policy from Farm Burea for $150 (around, do not remeber the exact amounts) I have a limit and have to have the house build within a year and the insurance will be changed to a home owners after the year for $400 per year with up to 300k liability. It was only an $8 difference for the extra coverage. I really liked both companies but for cost purposes choose the lesser of the two. Both have the same coverage. I hope this may have helped a little with the insurance issue on your question.

need some help with being my own generl contractor

zimzum

Amanda_931

zimzum

Amanda_931

glenn-k

Amanda_931

zimzum

Mommymem

zimzum

zimzum

Daddymem

Amanda_931

Daddymem

jraabe

rwalter

zimzum

zimzum

Amanda_931

glenn-k

bartholomew

Mommymem

trent

zimzum

zimzum

Keliy23